Foldable carton and blank with triangle shaped corner



ED CORNER Aug. 19, 1969 N. .1 ASMAN FOLDABLE CARTON AND BLANK WITH TRIANGLE sHAP' Filed Feb. 26. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 7 Norman J. Asman ATTORNEY FOLDABDE CARTON AND BLANK WITH TRIANGLE SHAPED CORNER Filed Feb. 26. 1968 N. J. ASMAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 9 I30 I32 I34 I34 I32 INV ENT OR Norman J. Asman ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,462,065 FOLDABLE CARTON AND BLANK WITH TRIANGLE SHAPED CORNER Norman John Asman, Appleton, Wis., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 708,281 Int. Cl. B65d /24 U.S. Cl. 229-31 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carbon blank having bottom and side panels and having a web corner comprising five triangular panels hingedly connected to one another and to adjacent side panels. Only the center triangular panel has its base-in edge-to-edge contact with the bottom panel. A carton is constructed from the blank by forming a pleat on each side of the center panel to permit abutment of side edges of the center panel with side edges of adjacent side panels. An attractive triangular shaped corner is thus produced which is reinforced by said pleats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to foldable carton blanks and to cartons erected from such blanks. In particular, the invention pertains to an improved carton with an attractive triangularly faced one-piece continuous and reinforced corner construction, and to a carton blank from which such a carton can be erected.

Cartons having bottom and side panels variously formed of one uncut piece of material are well known, the corners being constructed with a plurality of triangular panels folded in a variety of ways. See, for instance, US. Patents 3,116,866 Boran and 2,311,403 Lighter. The cartons illustrated in these patents are not provided with triangularly shaped corner panel faces which merge smoothly with other side panel faces in order to produce an attractively shaped carton. It is highly desirable to produce such a carton having triangular ly shaped corner panel faces which merge smoothly with other side panel faces from a one-piece essentially uncut carton blank which can be simply erected and which in addition provides reinforcement for the carton at its attractive triangular corners.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These shortcomings of the aforementioned prior art are effectively overcome in the present invention wherein a carton blank is provided having a web corner comprising five essentially triangular panels hingedly connected to one another and to adjacent side panels. The center triangular panel has its base positioned in edge-toedge contact with the cartons bottom panel. The pair of triangular panels on each side of the center triangular panel have their bases inserted so that the sides opposite the base radiate in fan-like fashion away from the bottom panel of the carton.

A carton is constructed from the carton blank by forming a pleat from each pair of triangular panels on each side of the center triangular panel. The pleats are shaped to permit the abutment of two side edges of the center triangular panel with side edges of two adjacent side panels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference is now made to the drawings for a more detailed description of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one emodiment of the carton of this invention;

3,462,065 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the carton of FIG. 1 taken along line 22 and drawn to a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a carton blank of this invention shown partially erected into a carton corner;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one embodiment of a carton blank of this invention shown prior to erection;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of one embodiment of a carton blank of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the carton of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the carton in FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of another embodiment of a carton blank of this invention shown partially erected into a carton corner;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a carton blank of this invention shown prior to erection; and,

FIG. 10 is a plan view of another embodiment of a carton blank of this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a carton indicated generally at 10 is shown having a bottom panel 12. Hingedly connected to bottom panel '12 along linear fold lines 13 are side panels 14, 16, 18 and 20. Hingedly secured to bottom panel 12 along linear fold lines 21 are triangular corner center panels 22, 24, 26 and 28. Side edges 30 of each side panel abut adjacent side edges 32 of each corner center panel. Wall panels 34, 36, 38 and 40 are hingedly secured one to each of said side panels.

FIG. 2, a cross sectional view of the carton 10 taken along line 22 of FIG. 1, shows the relative elevations of the various parts of the erected carton. Base panels 42, 44, 46, 48 (not shown in FIG. 1) are hingedly secured one to each of said wall panels.

FIG. 3 shows in perspective a partially erected corner of a carton 10. Bridge panels 50 provide a hinged connection between the side edge 30 of each side panel to a side edge 32 of a triangular center panel. Bridge panels 50 are composed of two adjacent hingedly connected corner panel portions 52 and 54 separated from one another by fold lines 56. Side panel edges 30, fold lines 56 and center panel edges 32 all intersect at corners 58 of bottom panel 12.

In the final assembly of carton 10 corner panel portions 52 and 5-4 are brought into face-to-face contact with one another to form a corner pleat. This causes the side edges 32 of each corner center panel to be brought into abutting relationship with side edges 30 of adjacent side panels. If desired, to further strengthen the corner assembly, each of thus formed pleats 52-54 can be brought into and held securely in face-to-face contact with its adjacent side panel.

FIG. 4 shows a corner portion of a carton blank of this invention from which the corner assembly of FIG. 3 was partially erected. FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a carton blank 80. The outside edges 60 of corner panel portions 52 and 54 are arranged so as to be perpendicular to fold lines 56 (FIG. 4).

The angles made by the edges of all of the panels and panel portions which intersect corners 58 are designated in FIG. 4 as angles A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K and M. In order to produce a carton with a proper corner, thatis a corner which permits the abutment of center panel edges 32 with adjacent side panel edges 30 it is necessary that corner panel portion angles C and D (and similarly with angles G and H) be substantially equal to one another. Angles C and D need not necessarily be equal to angles G and H. For a proper corner it is also necessary that for each bridge panel the length of its edge 30 be substantially equal to the length of its edge 32.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the carton of this invention. The carton, indicated generally at 150, includes a bottom panel 100 (FIGS. 7-10) to which is hingedly secured side panels 102, 104, 106 and 108, and triangular center panels 110, 112, 114 and 116. Cover panels 118, 120, 122. and 124 are hingedly secured one to each of the side panels. Slits 126 and pull tab 128, all on cover panel 124, facilitate the opening of a sealed carton.

FIG. 7, taken along line 77 of FIG. 6 shows the respective elevations of various portions of the carton.

FIG. 8 shows a partially erected carton corner from the carton of FIG. 6. Bridge panels 130 hingedly connect the side edges of the side panels to adjacent side edges of the center panel. Each bridge panel is composed of two adjacent hingedly connected corner panel portions 132 and 134. In the final assembly of the carton, corner panel portions 132 and 134 are brought into face-to-face contact with one another to form a corner pleat. This is accomplished in such a manner as to cause the side panels to abut the central panels along their respective side edges.

FIG. 9 identifies the angles made by the edges of all panels and panel portions which intersect the bottom panel corners an angles N, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W and X. FIG. 10 shows a blank of this invention from which the carton of FIG. 6 can be erected. To ensure a proper blank it is necessary for the corner panel portion angles Q and R, (and similarly angles U and V) to be substantially equal to one another. It is also necessary that in each bridge panel 130 the length of its side edge in common with a side panel be substantially equal to the length of its side edge in common with a central panel.

In the carton blank of FIGS. 9 and 10 the outside edges 136 of corner panel portions 134 have been designed to lie along the same line as the outside edges of cover panels 118-124.

In one working embodiment of the invention, a carton was constructed which was similar in appearance to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The carton was erected from a carton blank similar in appearance to that shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. In particular, bottom panel 12 was made in the shape of a hexagon having opposite sides parallel to one another. Every second side of the bottom panel had a rectangular side panel hingedly secured to it. Rectangular wall panels having attached thereto trapezoidal base panels were hingedly secured to each side panel. The corner angles were approximately as follows: A, 135 degrees; B, 90 degrees; C, 33 degrees; D, 33 degrees; E, 69 degrees; F, 69 degrees; G, 33 degrees; H, 33 degrees; K, 90 degrees, and M, 135 degrees. Side panel side edges 30 were all equal in length to center panel side edges 32, all measuring 1 71 inches. Outside edges 60 of corner panel portions 52 and 54 were made perpendicular to fold lines 56. Upon erection an attractive carton was formed having strong triangular corners. The carton was used to house and frame a toy which fit exactly between wall panels 34, 36, 38 and 40.

Many variations of the above illustrated and described cartons and carton blanks are possible without departing from the invention disclosed herein. The shape of the bottom panel can be that of almost any polygon. The shape of the side panels may be rectangular, trapezoidal or otherwise as desired. Side panels of difiFerent shapes may be secured to the same bottom panel. The sizes of angles A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K and M (FIG. 4) and similarly with angles N, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W and X, can be varied to produce a variety of corner constructions, remembering that angle C must be kept equal toangle D, angle G equal to angle H, and similarly with angles Q and R and angles U and V. The shapes of the outside edges of the corner panel portions may be varied. Additional panels of any shape desired, or no panels at all, may be secured to the side panels. By proper selection of the angles A, B, C, etc. (FIG. 4) or of angles N, P, Q, etc. (FIG. 9), the angle Y (FIG. 2) or similarly the ang e Z (FIG. 7) between the bottom panel and a 4 side panel can be made to vary from slightly more than zero degree to slightly less than degrees.

In assembling a carton, adhesive material may be used to secure the two corner panel portions of each pleat together or to secure a pleat to a side panel.

The carton arid blank can be constructed from any desirable material such as paper, paperboard, metal or plastic foil, laminates, etc.

What is claimed is:

1. A blank erectable into a carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel having two first linear edges connected by a second linear edge to form two corners,

(b) a pair of side panels hingedly connected one to each of said two first linear edges adjacent said corners,

(c) a triangular center panel hingedly connected to,

and having as a base, said second linear edge,

(d) a pair of bridge panels hingedly connecting said pair of side panels to said triangular center panel, each said bridge panel having one side edge in common with its adjacent side panel and another side edge, substantially equal in length to said one side edge, in common with said center panel,

each said bridge panel comprising two adjacent hingedly connected corner panel portions, each said corner panel portion having two linear side edges intersecting one of said bottom panel corners, the angles between said two linear side edges of each of said adjacent corner panel portions being substantially equal to one another,

each said bridge panel being foldable into a pleat when said blank is erected to permit the abutment of a side edge of each side panel with an adjacent side edge of said center panel.

2. A blank as defined in claim 1 wherein the angles between said two linear side edges of all said corner panel portions are substantially equal to one another.

3. A blank as defined in claim 2 wherein said bottom panel is a polygon having opposite sides in parallel relationship.

4. A blank as defined in claim 3 wherein said polygon is an octagon.

5. A blank as defined in claim 4 wherein said side panels are rectangular.

6. A blank as defined in claim 4 wherein said side panels are trapezoidal.

7. A blank as defined in claim 5 wherein additional panels are hingedly secured one to each of said side panels.

8. A blank as defined in claim 7 wherein said triangular center panel forms an isosceles triangle.

9. A blank as defined in claim 8 wherein the angles defined by said two bottom panel corners are substantially equal to one another.

10. A carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel having two first linear edges connected by a second linear edge to form two corners,

(b) a pair of side panels hingedly connected one to each of said two first linear edges adjacent said corners,

(c) a triangular center panel hingedly connected to and having as a base, said second linear edge,

said triangular center panel having two side edges each in abutting relationship with an adjacent side edge of an adjacent side panel,

(d) a pair of bridge panels hingedly connecting said triangular center panel to said abutting side panels, each said bridge panel having one said edge in common with its adjacent side panel and another side edge, substantially equal in length to said one side edge, in common with said center panel,

each said bridge panel comprising two adjacent hingedly connected corner panel portions, each said corner panel portion having two linear side edges intersecting one of said bottom panel corners, the angles between. aid two linear side edges of each of said adjacent corner panel portions being substantially equal to one another,

each said bridge panel defining a pleat, said pleat comprising two adjacent corner panel portions disposed in confronting relationship with one another.

11. A carton as defined in claim 10 wherein the angles between said two linear side edges of all said corner panel portions are substantially equal to one another.

12. A carton as defined in claim 11 wherein said bottom panel is a polygon having opposite sides in parallel relationship.

13. A carton as defined in claim 12 wherein said polygon is an octagon.

14. A carton as defined in claim 13 wherein said side panels are rectangular.

15. A carton as defined in claim 13 wherein said side panels are trapezoidal.

16. A carton as defined in claim 14 wherein additional panels are hingedly secured one to each of said side panels.

17. A carton as defined in claim 16 wherein said triangular center panel forms an isosceles triangle.

18. A carton as defined in claim 17 wherein the angles defined by said two bottom panel corners are substantially equal to one another.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 170,991 12/1875 Conover 229-31 927,537 7/ 1909 Hothersall 229-31 3,116,866 1/ 1964 Boran 229-31 FOREIGN PATENTS 906,404 3/ 1954- Germany.

DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

